Elise Kova strikes again!!

What a fantastic start to a new fantasy series!! The book starts with our FMC Clara in prison for inking illegal tarot cards, which already had me in a minor chokehold. Flowing into some intricate and in-depth world building, the magic system begins to unfold and while at first it felt dense and difficult to wrap my head around, once it clicked I. WAS. LOCKED. IN!

At no point did you feel like Clara counted herself as down and out, and I LOVE that in a FMC! Not even when she met Prince Kaelis, the head of the Academy and man I would love to throw in prison myself. The tension and angst between them was apparent almost from the start and it felt like a true "I cannot stand you" enemies-to-lovers dynamic. While I eat up morally grey characters, there was a detachment to Kaelis that was hard to break down to see the man underneath.

I loved the tarot magic system and while they may not have cemented themselves as a god tier book couple for me, I really liked the progression of their story. I felt like I was right there along with Clara, trying to figure out who was trustworthy and how to navigate existing with the Majors.

I was already planning to get a physical copy and now it's a must! Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton, for this eARC via NetGalley and to Elise!

DNF at 14% - This book just wasn't for me I'm afraid. And I love fantasy fiction!
The amount of information/world-building within the first 5% alone was too much and in my opinion, unnecessary.
If you don't have more than a basic knowledge of tarot then a lot will go over your head, so trying to keep up with that and a lot of characters in such a short time was a bit much for me. Were we also suppose to believe that a 23-year-old man was an army general, headteacher, and one of the most powerful men in this world? A stretch too far for me.
I also hate to say it, but the comparisons to other big fantasy series was a disappointment. The similarities were too close and almost lazy.
Maybe one that others will love, but not for me 🙁

Arcana Academy sends me spiraling…. in the best way. A magical, tarot-based school? Check. Trials that twist and turn before you can catch your breath? Double check. The dark academia vibe is enthralling, dripping with atmosphere and secrets.

It’s giving danger, destiny, and a deck of cards I would 100% let ruin my life. Every chapter pulls me deeper, and the magic system? So original, so damn good.

That said, the worldbuilding can feel a bit dull and overwhelming at times… lots of info upfront that slowed my momentum a little. But once the story finds its rhythm, it grips.

Clara is such a strategist when it comes to wielding her magic, and I love her character so much. The slow burn is driving me crazy, but damn, I can’t stop following the story. I just wish Kaelis had been more than just a character. The way he was portrayed felt a bit too emotionally distant… maybe that was intentional, but still. I’m hoping the next book brings more romance and shows a side of Kaelis that really surprises the reader.

That ending? Straight-up a bomb, full of twists, and it puts you in a chokehold. No way I’m walking away from this series now.

Thank you Hodderscape and netgalley for this e-arc. All opinions are my own.

I LOVED this book! I took my time reading it because it is long, at over 500 pages, but I also wanted to savour it and allow myself to enjoy the detailed worldbuilding, thrilling tension, captivating romance and three dimensional characters, each with their own personalities and desires. The magic style is not I have encountered before, and I'm so glad that it felt unique! I have never read any Elise Kova before, but I am SO excited to get a physical copy of this when it is released! We follow Clara, an illegal unmarked Arcanist (magic wielder), as she attempts to escape prison and find her sister and her family while trying to get revenge against the crown who wrongfully imprisoned her. In order to survive and not be put back in Halazar, the prison, she enters into a reluctant alliance with the dark, ruthless and yet utterly captivating second-son of the King, Prince Kaelis. The Academy enters the fray when it provides cover for Clara and Kaelis to work together with Clara being a student, and Kaelis being its headmaster. I loved the romance, the spice, the magic classes, the pacing, the side characters, the tension... just everything about this book was well thought out and executed to perfection, including the devastating cliffhanger! Cannot recommend this book enough.

wow, this was a rollercoaster of a read. genuinely thought it was going to be a 5⭐️ up until maybe 40/50% but i felt like it then began falling a bit flat 🤷🏻‍♀️

loads of new characters kept being introduced but sadly i don’t think they were fleshed out enough for them to have such important roles— i kept getting everyone muddled up. i also felt like the plot got a bit jumbled and confusing idk. BUTTTTT SHABOOYA the last 10% had me on tender hooks and that ending ?!? oh hell yeah let’s go (the last portion saved it from being a 3.75⭐️).🤭

i absolutely adore the world, setting and magic system. wdym it is a tarot card magic system AND A TAROT CARD ACADEMY?! BROTHER THAT'S SO COOL!! it was giving one dark window magic vibes but done in a way that wasn’t outright copying but just alluding to the use of cards as magic sources. i really liked how it was done and explained !! 🤩🤩

i will say that Kaelis and Clara are not one of my fave book couples. don’t get me wrong i do like the characters but something about their enemies-to-lovers arc just didn’t seem slow enough EVEN THOUGH they didn’t get together until around 80% it still felt like they didn’t hate each other for long enough. (that might just be my personal preference though) 🫣🫣

Throne of Glass meets the haunting magic of One Dark Window, with the academic atmosphere of Harry Potter—but far more dangerous.

Sometimes I dive into books with nothing more than curiosity and an open mind, not knowing what to expect. That was absolutely the case here, this was my first introduction to Elise Kova’s writing, and wow, what an introduction it turned out to be.

From the very first chapters, I was swept away into a vivid, intricate world where magic isn't just beautiful or mysterious—it's complex, political, and dangerously powerful. The story is set in a richly imagined world full of secrets, shifting alliances, betrayals, desires, and hidden truths, political scheming, slow-burn romance, dark academia, and even a fake marriage. And above all an amazing magic system

I was quickly pulled into the world of this book, and it wouldn’t let me go. Alongside Clara, I set out to uncover the secrets and lies the world throws at her, embarking on a journey to unravel the truth.

I’ll be honest, this book far exceeded my initial expectations!

Unfortunately, I did feel it started to lose a bit of momentum near the end. Maybe because certain plot points became a bit predictable? Still, the ending managed to grip me again, and my heart broke a little when I realized I had reached the final page and now have to wait for book two.

This was an ARC ebook thanks to Netgalley.

Thank you netgalley for this arc.

From the first pages it got me hooked, im a sucker for 1st person style writing if its done well ofcourse….
We follow Clara into the Arcana Academy where we dive in this interesting magic system of tarot cards.
A fake marriage its ofcourse always fun to read since its a Romantasy You knowww.

I couldnt put the book down and just really enjoyed it, cant wait untill book 2

Thank you so much Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton/Hodderscape for accepting my request to read and review this book early!

I was so thrilled to be accepted to read and review this book early, as one of my most anticipated reads of 2025.

I felt like this was such a unique story, with the most unique magic system I have ever read of before. It also had a very original and unique backstory of the protagonist Clara (her being in prison for a year before the beginning of this book) and I felt this gave her an edge a lot of protagonists in fantasy are missing.

This book was pretty dense, there were a lot of characters and a lot of active things going on. I liked that it was hard to tell who to trust in the book we were just going along with Clara figuring everyone out.

There were also some really great moments of connection between characters like her roommate who she ends up bonding with at the end of the book. And her old friends from before the was in prison.

I found the concept of the majors and their abilities very interesting, the idea of all 20 needed in order to collaborate to make the world was a really interesting concept.

There were however some things I didn't love in the book.

I felt like there was a lack of world building, does this magic system only work within their continent? What about the rest of the world? I felt like it also lacked an exploration of how actual society functions with magic and this cards system, does everyone have magic? Are there other schools aside from this one? Are there entirely non-magic people? Is magic an inherited thing? How did people know to gather these bizarre ingredients to make cards? What kind of paper can be used?

I felt like I had a lot of questions reading this book, and ultimately didn't get the answers to many of them.

I also felt let down by the romance. It was both insta-love and also so drawn out only to suddenly be acted upon that didn't really feel any chemistry. It just felt like they were each others crutch and helping one another.

Overall, this was very different to the Elise Kova I have read before, definitely spicier, but I felt like there needed to be a bit more editing.

Let me precipice by stating I do not read a lot of fantasy. I struggle with the world building and understanding the lore behind it, so to pick up a fantasy arc was a big step for me and my god am I glad I did.

I loved it!!! The plot, the backstory, the lore, the characters, the banter - absolutely brilliant! A slow-burn enemies to lovers romantasy novel set around the magic of Tarot 🥰. Tons of action, intrigue, mystery and secrets that will keep you guessing!

I was blessed to be accepted and I recommend to you to purchase on release (22nd July)!!

4.25 ⭐️

Elisa Kova you fabulous woman 💓

Thank you, Hodder & Stoughton, for this eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

I’M OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK AND CAN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT!!!

Arcana Academy by Elise Kova completely swept me off my feet. From the very beginning, I found myself totally enamoured with Kaelis 🥵—how did that happen so quickly? The idea of someone becoming a headmaster in their twenties gave me major “nepo baby” vibes, but in the most entertaining way possible 😂
The world-building was phenomenal and refreshingly unique. Kova crafted a setting that’s deeply atmospheric, with a deliciously dark academia backdrop and intriguing hidden passages. I was instantly hooked. There was an air of secrecy that kept you guessing, especially when it came to Kaelis and his plans. Also, the tarot powers were extremely cool – I’ve never read anything like that before!
The tension between the characters was incredible, especially the enemies-to-fake-engagement trope that had me absolutely living. Kaelis being so obviously obsessed with Clara (and falling first!) added the perfect amount of yearning. The slow burn romance had me screaming 😍
Beyond the romance, the friendships were written so well and added warmth to the intense mystery and drama. I genuinely didn’t want to finish the book because I didn’t want it to end… but I had to know what happened. The ending was so intense—no, no, no!

Elise Kova has me in a chokehold. I need book 2 ASAP. I can’t stop thinking about this story!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this earc!

Sadly I don’t think this book is for me. It feels very long and I’ve been reading it for a while. The FMC is quite annoying and I want to delve into it more I feel like she really explains things more than she needs to!

What in the “I could not stop turning the pages” was this? This book had me hooked from start to finish!

The world-building? Absolutely phenomenal—unlike anything I’ve seen before. So immersive, so addictive, and so masterfully explained. The author took the concept of tarot cards and spun it into something rich, vivid, and utterly captivating. Every detail was crafted with intention, making the story feel both magical and grounded in its own logic. It was beautiful and brilliantly original.

I fell completely in love with Clara and Kaelis—their character development was one of the highlights of the book for me.

Clara isn’t your typical whiny FMC. Her strength doesn’t come from having powers alone, but from the real-life challenges she’s faced and continues to work through. She’s incredibly relatable. The same goes for Kaelis—he’s not perfect, he has flaws, but he doesn’t use others to feel better about himself, even though he easily could. He never manipulates Clara, and he doesn’t blame others for his pain. I loved that about him!

Their enemies-to-lovers arc was so well written. The tension? Exquisite. The banter? Perfection. I only wish we had even more scenes between them, but since this is the first book in the series, I’ll forgive it and hope we get much more of them in the next installment(s).

One thing I genuinely appreciated—maybe a bit oddly—is how the author didn’t reveal all of the characters’ secrets in this first book. There’s still so much mystery, and I love knowing that more layers will be peeled back as the story goes on.

And that cliffhanger? What was that?! I'm still recovering.

Phenomenal book! I’ve already recommended it to all my colleagues at work, every one of my friends, and I’ll continue shouting about it to anyone who’s looking for a fantasy read with dark academia, trials, slow burn romance, and tarot cards—especially the tarot, which was used in such a fresh and fascinating way to build the world.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I can’t wait for the next one!

Even though I really liked the writing style, this book just wasn’t for me. I had difficulties with the tarot card magic system and it never really felt like a totally understood everything and could just easily read a long.

All in all a great book, but I will probably not continue with the series

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Arcana Academy tries to deliver dark academia wrapped in a tarot-based magic system, but ends up as a soulless remix of more successful fantasy series. There are heavy hints of Fourth Wing, Throne of Glass, The Coven, and Harry Potter scattered throughout—but stripped of depth, personality, or originality.

The tarot system had potential, but it reads more like a copy of the Wikipedia entry on Tarot than original world-building. And speaking of world-building: you’re told everything, constantly. Instead of subtlety or discovery, the story leans on repetitive monologues, leaving no room for nuance or reader inference.

Clara, the protagonist, is an inconsistent, self-proclaimed leader with unclear motives and no critical thinking. Her decisions are reckless and often self-sabotaging, but rarely carry real consequences. Her romance with Kaelis—23-year-old prince, enemy, and somehow headmaster of Arcana Academy—is both implausible and emotionally hollow. They lack chemistry or believable development, and Kaelis’ standout trait is biting his nails (which, honestly, ick).

Supporting characters are either flat or conveniently overpowered, gaining skills or backstories the moment the plot needs them. Antagonists exist purely to antagonize Clara, with no subtlety or development. Dialogue across the board is stilted, awkward, and occasionally cringeworthy.

But the hardest part? Just getting through the book. I didn’t want to DNF since it was an ARC but I really had to fight through the last chapters. The pacing is really sluggish. At 34%, the plot had barely moved. When events finally do unfold, they rely on abrupt twists and narrative conveniences. A mid-book character death lands with no real emotional weight. Key revelations emerge without foreshadowing. And plot devices are introduced mid-action, often feeling improvised on the spot.

Tonally, the book reads like a YA novel awkwardly dressed up as adult romantasy. Two half-hearted steamy scenes feel like they were added to hit genre expectations rather than serve the story. Emotional beats fall flat. Melodrama is delivered without buildup — Clara declaring “It’s Arina” to a pile of bones is played as cathartic, but lands as absurd.

Worst of all, the story feels aimless. Major developments—like discovering a supposedly hidden club—happen because someone randomly hangs around ruins “just in case” a year after Clara’s disappearance. Characters abandon carefully laid plans for no reason. Traditions, rules, and plot points are made up mid-scene. And the final cliffhanger? Obvious from miles away.

In my opinion, Arcana Academy is extremely trope-heavy, structurally weak and emotionally disengaged. I get why this might hit for some readers—but it missed for me, which is a shame since it was one of my more anticipated releases of the year. Arcana Academy was my first book by Elise Kova and it will also be my last.

⭐️⭐️/5

Elisa Kova is a new author to me this year and is slowly becoming a favourite, I absolutely loved this book and the journey it takes you on so much so I finished it in two days as soon as I started I just couldn't put it down. It has everything I literally love in a fantasy book, high stakes, trials that are so vicious a slow burn romance all while taking place in a magical academy that is full of the perfect gothic vibes.

Straight from the start it completely captures your attention and slowly weaves together an intriguing storyline and such a unique magic system based on Tarot cards, learning about these different cards and what they could do became a favourite part of the book for me. Then there's the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the fmc Clara's sister which kept me turning the pages wanting to know so many answers.

The romance is very much more of a slow burn between Clara and Kaelis, I enjoyed their interactions so much as they find themselves in this situation of having to work together. It feels more of a subplot to me and I'm looking forward to seeing how everything develops more in the second book especially as it ended on such a cliffhanger I wasn't expecting.

Thank you so much to Publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book before publication, these are my honest thoughts and opinions.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars
Arcana Academy is about Clara, sentenced to prison for life for illegally inking tarot cards. She gets an opportunity to be free, for a price. She needs to help Kaelis steal a tarot card from the king.

“I doubt the world around me. I fear what I can’t control. But I do not doubt myself, and I do not feat the one thing I have power over: me.”


Arcana Academy has been one of my most anticipated released, as I’ve been a long-time fan of Elise Kova!! Having won the ARC at YALC made my day and finally diving into this book, I can only jump in joy at how much I loved it and how much it lived up to my expectations of it!!

The opening gives an immediate good idea of the world and also gives a glimpse at the amazing magic system in place. The world-building is unique, and very elaborate, so you do need some time to understand it all. But while the information given is extensive, never was I overwhelmed by the world-building or the magic system itself! I really enjoyed how the information was gradually given at the exact right moments. Also, I started making a list of all the magic of all the cards only to discover at the end, there is an itinerary explaining them all hahahaha

The plot itself was super engaging and had me hooked from the first chapter! I was invested and loved the different little subplots woven into the main plot! The pacing worked perfectly to keep me from putting the book down, once I really got into the story!

Clara is an amazing character in my eyes! I really enjoyed seeing her grow and go through the trials thrown at her. I was rooting for her from the very beginning and can’t wait to see where she’ll go! Kaelis is intriguing and had piqued my interests from the first time he appeared! I always believed there was more to him that it seemed, and boy was I right heheheh.

The romance between them was written soooooo well!! From the first time they met, the tension was palpable, with Clara deadest on hated Kaelis, for believing he was the reason she was in prison. I loved how Kaelis slowly worked to open Clara’s eyes and how she, after realising it, saw him in a different light. The high points in their relationship, I loved them because it felt so satisfying after reading all the build-up to it!!

The ending….. let’s just say I needed 5-10 business days to recover from that one! Holy shit I did not expect this book to end like this. That very last sentence…. It should be illegal T_T it was both the best and the worst way to end this book, because I need the sequel NOW!!!

Overall, I loved loved loved Arcana Academy, with its unique and intriguing world and characters I was rooting for!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book!

*review contains spoilers*

Okay, so this book was hella good.

Think Harry Potter meets Hunger Games.

The magic system is based on tarot cards which was unique, clever and so interesting to read about and visualise. I literally know nothing about tarot so I did struggle. However, around 30% into the book there is a bit of a more detailed explanation around The Fool and some other bits I was confused about so that helped - I just wish that bit was sooner in the book!

I loved the trials at the beginning to even get into the academy, the fact that applicants had to give up a part of their future to become an initiate was so clever.

The houses all have different characteristics which was reminiscent of Hogwarts, all with their own personalities that people sort into which I loved.

The relationship between Kaelis and Clara was really well done - the slowest of slow burns enemies to lovers. I did feel like something was missing from them however. The way Kaelis acted and treated her right from the start I did think that maybe there was a future he saw with her in the chalice that he had to give up, when becoming an initiate himself?
I kept waiting for him to finally say something to that effect but it never came.
The whole way through it just felt as though he knew something about her we didn’t? I was looking for some sort of “fated mates” type situation which I would have loved.

There were a few things that weren’t tied up at the end, obviously it was a cliffhanger so that can happen, but these things felt unfinished even so…

1. The N+E thing
2. Who is the Star
3. Why did Cael tell her to fail the duel with Eza?
4. When Eza used his Hangman on her, he was shocked she could alter parts of the scenario herself (reminded me of a divergent type situation!) but that was never brought up again?

The first chapter I was practically rolling my eyes into the back of my head it was just Throne of Glass. Prince comes to prison for a specific female, she has been there for a year and has a real name no-one can know etc…
However, by the end of the book I was absolutely gagging for the second instalment.

Last but not least, if Priss dies… I will never forgive you Elise Kova.

After a botched job lands her a life sentence for illegally inking tarot cards, Clara gets an unexpected offer from Prince Kaelis, the mysterious headmaster of Arcana Academy. In exchange for her freedom, she must help him steal a royal tarot card to recreate a legendary one lost to history.

First of all, I’d like to disclaim that I received a copy of Arcana Academy by Elise Kova via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Many thanks to the author and Hodderscape, the publisher for the trust. All opinions are my own!

I feel I’m going to have to preface this review by saying: Dear Acana Arcademy, I’m afraid it’s not going to work out between us, but don’t worry: it’s not you. It’s me.

You know how you feel after an amazing first date? Giddy, excited – like you’re experiencing something new, something exciting, something you’ve never experienced before, that was me for the first 20% of Arcana Academy. I was immediately drawn into this super cool and dangerous feeling world with a (I must admit!) rather unique way of implementing tarot into its magic system – and I feel that Elise Kova really thought her magic system and the lore that accompanies it through quite well, I was deeply impressed with that – a little smitten even, I must admit.

However, my interest began to wane rather quickly because after the second date and the third, I found myself unable to connect to much of anything except for the magic system. The motives felt a little muddy, and the characters’ personality remained obscured to me and the pacing was slowing.. and so by the end, when the big cliffhanger heralded the ending of the book, I was mostly just relieved that I’d made it through.

And that brings me to the conclusion and the why of: it’s not you, it’s me. I am not a huge romantasy fan but I figured I’d give this a go because I am a sucker for anything to do with dark fantasy and tarot cards, and based off the synopsis and some other reviews I was fully expecting a similar experience to the one I had with One Dark Window, but alas- I did not. I fully believe that fans of romantasy will be in for a wicked fun ride with this with a good enemies to lovers slowburn, a fun magic system, and a magic school setting (honestly, we stan a good magic school which is not written up by a transphobic monster) – and that’s why I’m rating this 3 out of 5 stars.

Dark Academia Romance! Magic system around Tarot cards which is intriguing in itself throw in a determined stubborn strong FMC and MMC that will have ur mind boggled with what his motivations are. A story seeking revenge and resistance against a regime that only looks after the elite in society and engaging thrilling read, Throws you right into the action at the start then your in !!! SO engaging a whirlwind i still don't really know what is happening but cant wait to find out where this story goes. Nothing is what it seems

Ooooh this book is so good!!!!!

Clara has been imprisoned for illegal inking of tarot cards. Tarot cards and their power are very tightly controlled by the Oricalis and only people who have been to Arcana Academy are allowed to ink cards and wield their power and then only for the clans that they protect and work for...so Clara's crime is pretty big. One day she is summoned from the dungeon by Prince Kaelis who questions her about the source of her inking supplies and she is forced to confess. Kaelis then sentences her to death and sweeps from the room leaving Clara alone to ponder what she should do. Clara decides to escape and takes the opportunity to ransack the room for inking supplies so she can quickly ink and use some cards to aid her. However, she doesn't get very far before she passes out....and wakes to find herself in Kaelis' apartment within the Arcana Academy where he promptly reveals that he allowed her to escape as he needs her help finding and inking 'The World' card, which allows the holder to remake the world however they want to. To keep Clara from being sent back to prison he enrols her in the academy where he is the headmaster and announces that she is his fiancée and the last surviving member of a clan that has been wiped out.

It is so hard to write this review without revealing the, seemingly endless, spoilers! All of the characters in the book are cleverly created and it is possible to feel everything you are supposed to feel towards them - the ones Clara isn't sure she should trust act sketchy enough for us to not trust them before she even voices her thoughts! Kaelis is perfectly crafted - he is both repellent and enigmatic at the same time and I found myself both rooting for him and questioning Clara's thinking.

The ending of the book is the perfect cliffhanger - I was so stunned I sat staring at the page for several minutes, I did not see it coming at all. This is a book that you need to read closely because there are things that are hinted at and foreshadowed that come about much much later in the story and you find yourself questioning how you missed it.

This is like grown up Harry Potter meets The Scholomance. I loved all the mystical elements and how the cards worked and were wielded - it made the magical battle scenes very exciting and I couldn't help imaging it as a movie.

My one gripe was the spicyness of the sex scenes near the end....they were pretty graphic and have stopped me recommending this book to teens and YA who enjoy magical/fantasy books. Other than that, it is pretty close to perfection and I CANNOT wait for the next installment.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.